1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carrying case. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrying case with removable and interchangeable inserts and a portable table surface. The carrying case with inserts increases service life, functionality, and diversity of usage. The present invention further relates to accommodating supplies and providing work space on a table surface in a portable manner.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Certain medical procedures, such as self-catheterization, are unpleasant medical necessities for both male and female patients. Various medical conditions force patients to deal with these potentially embarrassing and personal procedures, such as urological difficulties, ostomy conditions, wounds, and diabetes. For example, for older men, prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs when the prostate often enlarges to the point where urination becomes difficult. These medical conditions require frequent monitoring, and symptoms can require frequent treatment. Part of the treatment plan may include medical procedures, such as self-catheterization, ostomy care, wound care, diabetes care, and others, requiring a variety of medical supplies. A patient must have access to these supplies and space to perform these procedures in order to relieve symptoms and to successfully comply with the treatment plan.
Maintaining the proper supplies and space for performing the procedures is much more suitable for the home setting. For example, using self-catheterization is sometimes required in order for a patient to urinate. The process involves cleanliness, multiple supplies, and adequate work space for supply preparation and patient preparation. However, patients require the freedom to leave home for extended periods of time in order to live their lives and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Away from home, access to supplies, proper space, and privacy are major concerns. Patients with these medical conditions feel restricted to their homes because of the anxiety of having to urinate away from home, even though there are generally no real physical restrictions from this medical condition. Other medical procedures, such as a ostomy care, wound care, and diabetes care, involve the same patient concerns.
The known first-aid kit holds a variety of medical supplies in a single carrying case. The range of first-aid kits covers a small box in an office supply closet to a specialized backpack for extreme weather conditions. These kits contain all of the necessary supplies, such as gloves, lubrication, catheters, etc. Even bulky items and multiple use supplies can be easily transported.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to first-aid kits and carrying cases for medical supplies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,642, issued to Durbin on Jun. 7, 1983, discloses a universal portable pack, formed as a briefcase. There is a tray storage area providing receptacles for separately holding relatively long and narrow objects, which can be released from the case. There are hook and loop attachments for customizing individual pockets and storage. The pockets and areas can be color coded for identification and quick selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,314, issued to Jacober on Feb. 2, 1999, teaches a case for injectable medication with a cooling compartment. The invention is another specialized carrying case for medical equipment. There are panels, including a top panel, a bottom panel opposing the top panel, two opposing side panels, two opposing end panels, and a thermally-insulating divider panel. The panels join together at respective joints in the carrying case. The panels divide the case into insulated and non-insulated areas for convenient transport of medication.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,303, issued to Oswalt, et al. on May 4, 1993, describes a medical emergency carrying case. The device is a first-aid kit in a particular configuration to be carried as a case or as a backpack. There are storage pouches, which are releasably attached to hinged fasteners located along or near the rims of the top and bottom compartments of the carrying case. The hinged attachment allows the storage pouches to be flipped from inside the carrying case to outside the carrying case while still attached. This arrangement allows for visible access at once to every item transported in the carrying case.
The prior art generally discloses many specialized carrying cases with adjustable pockets, pouches, straps, and attachments. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,442, issued to Baum on Jun. 19, 1946, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,881, issued to Park on Jun. 18, 2002, and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0232288, published for Kung on Nov. 25, 2004, disclose hook attachments to suspend articles on a wall or door. The concept of portable attachment is known, and there are many disclosed versions of a hook element for a carrying case.
Specialized kits and packs of the prior art lack variable functionality. The first-aid kits perform the intended function of holding and organizing different types of medical supplies in a single container. The backpacks and carriers with dividers also address the need for a portable single container. However, there is no flexibility for the use of these prior art carrying cases other than transport of medical supplies. Without a medical condition, there is no longer a need for a specialized kit or pack. If there is no medical need, then the prior art cannot be easily used for other purposes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case for transporting a variety of different medical supplies.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case for organizing a variety of different medical supplies.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case with removable inserts.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case with a removable insert for holding medical supplies.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case with a removable insert for holding supplies for non-medical uses, such as a laptop computer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case with attachments for medical procedures.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case, which forms a work space for medical procedures and non-medical uses.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case, which can be installed in limited space.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an embodiment of a carrying case for medical supplies, which can be transported and carried without visual indicators of the medical supplies contained inside the case.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and claims.